Mahatma Gandhi was a great man, a good statesman, a social reformer, a great national leader, a staunch nationalist, and a man of religious bent of mind of the modern age. He was born on 2nd October, 1869 and lived upto 30 January, 1948. He was the guiding star of the national movement from 1893 to 1914 in South Africa and from 1919 to 1948 in India. He gave a new idea and turn to the national movements of both the countries.
For the first time in the history of world Gandhiji introduced the spiritual and moral elements of truth, non-violence and love in politics and was successful in his experience. He was not a political thinker but he expressed his views on social order, political order, state and its function, aims of the state, purity of means, economic order, private property, through his speeches, articles and letter. All his views together can be called Gandhism.
Gandhiji himself had said, “There is no such thing as Gandhism and I do not want to leave any sect after me, I do not claim that I have given any new doctrine. I have tried to apply the basic truth on the problems and issues of my daily life in my own way and the views that I have expressed and the results that I have gained are not final. I can change them tomorrow.” The views of Gandhiji contain elements of spirituality. The views of Gandhiji have a distinct place in the practical policies of India.
Political ideas of Gandhiji
Gandhiji expressed his views through speeches, articles and talks on various issues like organisations of the state, property, relations between the individual and the state, social order, economy of the state, means of achieving aims. These views had their impact not only on Indian politics but on the whole world. He gave a new dimension to the political ides are as under :
Religion and politics
Before Gandhiji it was said that religion and politics stand apart and religion has no place in politics. But Gandhiji based his politics on religion and he gave a moral and spiritual touch to politics. According to him religion and politics are like soul and body. As soul cannot be separated from the body in the same way politics cannot be separated from religion. Politics separated from religion is like death because in such a situation the soul is dead. But Gandhiji, by religion, according to him Truth is God and God is Truth. In the absence of non-violence and love both cannot be attained. The real religion is that which introduces the man with truth. A good government, according to Gandhiji is that which makes laws based upon moral principles.
Nature of state
Gandhiji was of the view that man by nature is good, peace-loving and is not selfish. He therefore wants to create a society imbibed with love, non-violence and truth and the members of the society perform their functions and duties voluntarily and freely. Gandhiji was of the view that any work which is not done voluntarily and freely cannot be called moral. Since the modern state is based upon violence and force and it gives orders which are also based upon force, it cannot be called a moral institution.
Gandhiji was not happy with the state as it exists today because it is a soulless institution or machine. The state based upon force can never be separated from violence. Gandhiji therefore wanted to establish a stateless society where every individual tries to make fullest development of life by the virtues of love, non-violence, mutual cooperation and truth. Every individual will voluntarily attain the membership of various organisations and associations and will have the right of self government. There is no room for police, army and courts in this society. Gandhiji favoured decentralization of economic and political power and wanted every village to be self reliant and have its own self government.
Gandhiji was a practical thinker also and he knew that the stateless society was not practicable. He therefore put emphasis on a non-violent society.
Function of the state
Gandhiji believed in giving minimum possible functions to the state and it should interfere least in the life of the individual. The present administrative setup and judicial system need simplification.
He was not happy with the ever-increasing powers and functions of the state. Apparently it appears that the increase in state functions is to check exploitation and bring about the welfare of the society but in actual practice it is dangerous for the mankind because it destroy the individuality of the individual which is the basis of all development and progress. Under such atmosphere how can we expect the full development of life of the individual. Thus Gandhiji favoured least functions of the state.
Views about democracy
Gandhiji was a staunch critic of the democracry of western type. According to him western democracry is not real because it is based on majority rule, and they meet the opposition by force. There can be no relation between democracy and violence. Real democracry is one where opposition is met by arguments and instead of majority decision consensus decisions are taken. Western democracry has encouraged capitalism and has exploited the weaker nations. Many western democratic states have adopted fascist methods for their expansion but democracry and imperialism cannot go together. Gandhiji had clearly declared that England had not established her hold over Indian by democratic means. In a real democracy only those people should have the right to contest elections who have full faith in non-violence, truth and love, those who really are servants of the people and care for the welfare of the people. Right to vote should be given only to those who earn their livelihood by labour and hardwork.
Social change
Gandhiji was not satisfied with the present social order which was based upon capitalism and economic disparities. In such an order the liberty to the workers and peasants is denied and unemployment is spreading. Gandhiji was against private property but did not want to abolish it by law. Gandhiji favoured the removal of economic disparity by transformation of hearts of the capitalists and industrialists. He wanted that everybody who owns property should consider it as a God Gift and he is simply its custodian or trustee and that should be utilized not for personal benefit but for the social welfare.
Means of social change
Gandhiji did not believe in violent means for bringing about the social change. He believed in pure means for achieving pure aims. This is why he wanted to bring a change in the social order through transformation of hearts. Also that if the capitalist does not surrender the excess property voluntarily, the means of Satyagraha should be adopted. Gandhiji suggested the ways of Satyagraha for making transformation of heart and he practised it also.
Satyagraha is not an easy way and for adopting Satyagraha one must possess self-confidence, courage, non-violence and firm determination. There are many forms of Satyagraha as pointed out by Gandhiji like, non-cooperation, civil disobedience, social boycott, fast, hijrat, dharna, strike etc.
Internationalism
Gandhiji was a nationalist as well as an internationalist. He advocated a beautiful combination of nationalism and internationalism. According to Gandhiji for a man it is essential to be nationalist first, otherswise he cannot become internationalist. A nation can be built only by sacrifices. Nation has an existence of its own which can be attained only through Swaraj and for the attainment of Swaraj, the means of non-violence and satyagraha should be adopted. Nationalism should not be a threat to other nations and a nation should not try to exploit other nations. Gandhiji was in favour of such an international organisation in which all nations participate voluntarily and which should act in a non-violent way. All the member nations should be equal and should have feeling of brotherhood.
Satyagraha of Gandhiji
To bring about the change in the social order Gandhiji suggested the way of Satyagraha based upon truth and non-violence. The ideology of satyagraha is the original contribution of Gandhiji to the world. To fight against evils like injustice, exploitation, violence and to attain truth through non-violent means Satyagraha.
Satyagraha is a moral weapon and point out the superiority of moral power over physical and brute force. Violence inflict injury on others but a satyagrahi while resisting authority and injustice gets suffering on himself. Satyagrahi does not try to cause harm to the oppressor but is ready to suffer himself. A Satyagrahi tries to convince the authority that whatever torture it may inflict on the satyagrahi he cannot be compelled to obey the unjust orders and cannot be removed from the path of satyagraha. When the oppressor is convinced that he cannot compel the Satyagrahi to submit to his will, he agrees to accept what the satyagrahi wants. His heart is transformed and he submits to truth.
A Satyagrahi possesses the invincible power of self-confidence and self-courage and he is not afraid of his own life while practising the way of Satyagraha. He has to be non-violent both by his actions and thoughts. It is not easy to practise Satyagraha. A weak-minded person cannot be a satyagrahi. Non-violence of a satyagrahi is not the non-violence of a weak and cowardice rather it is the non-violence of strong and power for man. It demands courage and power of bearing with sufferings. Gandhiji favoured violence to the non-violence of the coward. Gandhiji has said, “By adopting the non-violence and truth you can force the whole world to bow before you.”
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